BajaNomad

A good trip report to Cave Painting Site

Fatboy - 4-26-2025 at 08:25 AM

A really cool trip report about a trip to see the cave paintings in Baja over at Backcountry Post.

It is really worth taking a few minutes to go read it.

This was written up by a member of Backcountry Post and has nothing to do with me, but it is so nice and BAJA related, that I wanted to share it here.

Backcountry Post Cave Painting Trip

David K - 4-26-2025 at 11:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Fatboy  
A really cool trip report about a trip to see the cave paintings in Baja over at Backcountry Post.

It is really worth taking a few minutes to go read it.

This was written up by a member of Backcountry Post and has nothing to do with me, but it is so nice and BAJA related, that I wanted to share it here.

Backcountry Post Cave Painting Trip


Thank you for sharing the link. That looks like a super trip report!!!

Fatboy - 4-26-2025 at 03:45 PM

:thumbup:

cupcake - 4-29-2025 at 09:21 AM

Thanks for posting this trip report.

All the dust in the air when the wind was blowing has me thinking that bringing along an N95 mask might be a good idea.

Those are some heavy duty chaps I see in one of the photos.

I would have a hard time cooking for anyone. More like cans of cold ravioli and sardines if I was the chef.

I would definitely be walking, not riding. My gear could ride, but I would walk.

I would like to know what they paid to do the trip. Maybe it is bad form to report this.

[Edited on 4-29-2025 by cupcake]

Fatboy - 4-30-2025 at 03:51 PM

Someone did ask about the cost on something he did on that trip(don't remember if it was the kayak trip or the mule trip)...I will go reread the original trip report and see what he said.

Yeah, I would be a little nervous to cook for strangers like that!

elgatoloco - 5-2-2025 at 03:03 PM

A bargain at any price. I hope I can do it one more time. It is awesome.

Biznaga - 5-2-2025 at 07:11 PM

Thanks Fatboy for posting and sharing this trip report.

We took a similar mule trip a few weeks ago to see the cave paintings. Even for folks that have ridden mules before, at times this trip can be a white-knuckled ride, once you step off of the mesa into the canyon.

The current drought is really impacting the local folks in these mountains. Most of their cattle are dead or sold. Even the goats are struggling for forage. When I asked about the drought, our main guide told me that it has not rained a drop since last July. He said "es muy triste Senior, muy triste".

For those of you that have not taken this trip, I can tell you that without a doubt, this is an adventure of a lifetime. From the drive up to San Francisco de la Sierra, to every step your mule takes towards the bottom of the canyon, you will be traveling back in time. You are riding, hiking and camping with "The Last of the Californios."

The cave paintings may be the destination, but as many of you Nomads know well, the journey is just as important as the destination. If your interested in taking this trip, just google it as there are multiple outfitters in Baja that can assist you.

If the mule ride down into the canyon is not your thing, outfitters also offer trips west of Loreto. I'll post a link at the bottom of a 11:30 minute video of one of those trips. You may recognize Dario Higuera Meza at the beginning of the video from "La Requa."

Next time your in Baja, head up to San Francisco de la Sierra. Stop by the "Hostel" on the left side of the road, before you get to town. They have a few rooms and a small restaurant with delicious ranch-style food. The road is in good condition, and paved all the way into town.

Here is the video I promised. It's described as "A Day in the life of a mule pack trip - Sierra Giganta Traditional Ranches route". This guided mule trip was provided by this outfitter, based in Loreto: https://saddlingsouth.com/

" Traditional Ranches Ride in Baja California Sur"

https://youtu.be/E4EQkvYFORg?si=nZRLiBKtm8nu3eQ4

¡Disfruta tu vida cada día!




4x4abc - 5-2-2025 at 07:44 PM

I have done the trip dozens of times
doesn't get better than this one!

I highly recommend walking it!
it is less than 6 miles
half of it is pretty much solid level ground
the canyon part is spectacular!

riding the mule will introduce you to pains you will never forget

wilderone - 5-3-2025 at 10:22 AM

I did this trip once - and walked it - no problem at all. I did ride for a bit for a photo op (!) - it was along a narrow cliff trail and I was very nervous with that. We all got to our second campground and were waiting for the mules to arrive soon after - we waited and waited - Almost sundown and they finally arrived with all our gear. Turns out, one of the mules had, indeed, fallen down the cliff.
We too were instructed to bring food for the guides - there were 12 of us, so were supposed to bring one meal. The guides did not like tuna! A big hit was canned beef and tortillas.

4x4abc - 5-3-2025 at 11:05 AM

that is a good point!
I wish there was an outline of what food to bring for the guides

also good to know:
if you are short on something, or want beers in camp
there are often willing young locals who would run up and down the canyon walls in a couple of hours.
Up and own the west side of Arroyo Santa Teresa